Prince Charles gathers 'emergency group' of business leaders to help communities in need

The Prince of Wales is launching an emergency response group to help parts of
the country hit by natural disasters.

Working alongside the emergency services and other response and support agencies, the new group will provide advice and support to communities and to traders whose operations are disrupted.Photo: GETTY

Senior figures from the City and industry have been enlisted to sit on the Business Emergency Recovery Group (BERG), which will assist communities devastated by flooding, extreme snow or other catastrophes.

Working alongside the emergency services and other response and support agencies, the new group will provide advice and support to communities and to traders whose operations are disrupted.

The group will be chaired by John Varley, the chief executive of Barclays Bank. It will include chief executives and senior representatives from the energy, utilities, telecoms and insurance industries, as well as from the Environment Agency and Natural England.

BERG will be run by Business in the Community (BITC), a charity which encourages businesses to do more to support their local communities, of which Prince Charles is president.

Speaking about his decision to establish BERG, the Prince said: "I have always believed in the potential for business to be a force for good.

"After many years visiting those who have been affected by flooding or other types of disaster, it struck me that, all too often, small businesses and individuals find it difficult to get the help they need and there might, therefore, be a role for Business in the Community member companies to be a part of this local support network and provide assistance in some form or other.

"The intention is for the Business Emergency Recovery Group, working in close collaboration with existing local support organisations and networks, to give local communities and businesses access to practical help from and expertise of the some of the country's biggest companies.

"It is already in action in Cornwall following the recent floods there, and I hope it will become something that will prove of real help to all who need it."

The Prince has taken a keen interest in the impact that big business can have in helping communities recover from disasters.

He visited Cumbria in the aftermath of the floods in November 2009 that devastated Cockermouth and other local towns, taking with him a delegation of national business leaders to see how they could help improve the situation.

Last month, he also met with residents and businesses in the towns of Lostwithiel and St Blazey in Cornwall that were affected by flooding to discuss plans for the recovery of the area.

Members of BERG will include Doug Turner, the head of emergency planning at BT, and Mike Still, the national managing director of Marsh insurance brokers.

BERG's coordinator, Jim Haywood, who is also the environment director of BITC, said that the new group would work behind the scenes with local businesses to help them continue trading in the immediate aftermath of an emergency, and help ensure that local businesses were able to make a sustainable recovery following natural disasters.

He said: "The scope of weather-related emergencies, whether caused by flooding or snow, can be many and varied and can knock whole communities off their feet.

"If there are specific challenges facing local businesses in an emergency situation that can't be met by the local authorities and support services, then BERG is there to provide advice and assistance.

"BERG will also look to see what role it can play in providing contingency planning to communities to help them better prepare for emergency situations."

The initiative has been welcomed by owners of small businesses, including Jonty Chippendale, the owner of The Toy Shop in Cockermouth, whose shop was flooded by more than 5ft of water last year.

Following the floods, Mr Chippendale, who is chairman of the Cockermouth & District chamber of trade, was forced to move his business into temporary premises for more than seven months before he was able to trade again in his shop.

He said: "All our telephone lines were damaged in the floods, and when we moved into our temporary premises, we were told it would take up to eight weeks to get new phone lines put in which would have lost us a huge amount of business.

"But when the Prince of Wales visited us along with representatives from BT and other big businesses, things moved much more quickly.

"After a disaster, you need to move fast to avoid falling into a trough of despondency, so you need assistance and decisions from the very top.

"It is of huge help that the Prince has recognised this and has formed a group of business leaders who will be able to help people reclaim their lives when disasters strike."